"I might be empathizing with the wrong character here..."

[Viking Incognito]

Twilight. FOR FUCKS SAKE WHY ARE THE "EVIL" VAMPIRES SUCH PUSSIES? Seriously, all of the other characters keep trying to paint them as ruthless and evil and not once do they ever prove it unless you count killing that single scared helpless vampire girl in the newest movie.
I just want them to tear the main cast to pieces the whole time.

 

[Blind Sight]

Andrew Ryan...poor guy just wanted to control his environment and knew that Fontaine was up to something, he just couldn't prove it. In an attempt to achieve his goals, he lost his sanity and had to sell out the ideals he held as paramount. Damn depressing stuff.

 

[Saulkar]

Every single monster movie, except Cloverfield. That monster was an asshole.

 

[II2]

Colonel "Badass" Quarritch.
Yeah, yeah we get it the humans are all evil and horrible for not wanting to die because they can't get the unobtanium.
That movie had a very twisted green asop, sure the Navi were in harmony with their environment but it was only because they had the USB hair thingy that allowed them to control everything.
It wasn't shocking that the humans lost or that Quarritch was killed but he was just so entertainingly dickish, I found myself rooting for him.

\

Ahhh Colonel Roid Rage...

That movie kinda pissed me off not because they wanted to characterize a hardened, ruthless army Colonel for the purposes of showing humans greedy-blah-blah-blah, but because they could have done so without making him look like a furious gorilla and had a realistic character that would still have been equal to or more effective narrative element.

E.G: If he had responded to the science teams escape attempts with swift, ruthless administrative action demanding bodies and the termination of sentient local Nav'i wildlife because security had been compromised, he would seem like a "real" draconian, hardass military bastard.

-- INSTEAD --

When he witnesses the science team fleeing, he breaks open the airlock in an adrenaline filled rage (fuck the rest of the staff protected by it), throws on a gas mask and runs out to the tower deck to fire on an armored transport / assault helicopter with his piddly smg/pdw thing that looked like a P90 if I remember. Literally, overcompensating much? Guess it's the roids.

Then, why the fuck would you - knowing that more or less your own science team are turncoat - fly out in person, with an entire armada, to do a big chest thumping standoff before blasting the crap out of everything, if the same objective could have been accomplished with artillery or missile barrages? Did they leave the ordnance at home? Couldn't find firing solutions around the floaty bits? Doesn't seem like Col. Roids would mind something with a name like "saturation bombing" or "scorched earth" tactics.

I don't hate Avatar, but stupid nagging questions like that kinda take me out of that kinda movie. I KNOW James Cameron can direct better sci fi. Everything (give or take) in Aliens made sense in context.

What happened to the character of space marines from Aliens to Avatar, eh? Christ.

*takes off Red Letter Media's hat*

 

[dalek sec]

Colonel "Badass" Quarritch.
Yeah, yeah we get it the humans are all evil and horrible for not wanting to die because they can't get the unobtanium.
That movie had a very twisted green asop, sure the Navi were in harmony with their environment but it was only because they had the USB hair thingy that allowed them to control everything.
It wasn't shocking that the humans lost or that Quarritch was killed but he was just so entertainingly dickish, I found myself rooting for him.

/thread.

The only time I see decent Space Marines and they get their ass-kicked by Xenos? HERESY!

Xenos love as well? That's HERESY!

Someone call in the Imperial Guard or Space Marines, these foul xeno's will wilt under the might of the Imperium of Man!

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Colonel "Badass" Quarritch.
Yeah, yeah we get it the humans are all evil and horrible for not wanting to die because they can't get the unobtanium.
That movie had a very twisted green asop, sure the Navi were in harmony with their environment but it was only because they had the USB hair thingy that allowed them to control everything.
It wasn't shocking that the humans lost or that Quarritch was killed but he was just so entertainingly dickish, I found myself rooting for him.

Same thing. In fact, I rooted against the Na'vi so badly that every time one of the humans got a kill, I was happy.

So, yeah, the ending angered me. Especially that line about the dying planet.

Can't wait for Avatar 2 where humans should return and curb-stomp this planet to oblivion with nuclear weapons, tanks and proper aircraft, and then mine everything the planet has to offer.

 

[Hatchet90]

I wish Wiley Coyote to catch Road Runner, I want Tom to catch Jerry and Sylvester to eat that cursed Tweety. See the pattern?

Wile E. caught the Road Runner in a famous (and hilarious) scene where the Coyote shrank down to the size of a bug while the RR remained full size.

Tom caught Jerry in Johann Mouse, but luckily for Jerry the servants heard the music and "a cat that could play? A mouse that could waltz?"

Sylvester never caught Tweety, but dear gods, Tweety's a sadistic douchebag. And not even a funny one like Screwy Squirrel. Tweety's just plain mean-spirited. He's not even doing it "for the lulz" like Screwy does.

So there's that.

I want Tweety to fucking die. Go to 2:57, arguably one of the funniest, and yet most sadistic moments in cartoon history.

 

[Dango]

I always empathize most with the villain's henchmen. They're just doing their job, why do they always get killed by a "hero" that's showing absolutely no mercy? But I empathize with pretty much any character that dies.

 

[The Geek Lord]

I feel some fans of Rorshach suffer from this. Don't get me wrong he is a good character, but some people find him a little too likeable.

When the author wanted people to hate him. Personally, I only like him because he killed a rapist, stuck his body outside the police station and then taped a sign reading "Never!" on it.

Colonel "Badass" Quarritch.
Yeah, yeah we get it the humans are all evil and horrible for not wanting to die because they can't get the unobtanium.
That movie had a very twisted green asop, sure the Navi were in harmony with their environment but it was only because they had the USB hair thingy that allowed them to control everything.
It wasn't shocking that the humans lost or that Quarritch was killed but he was just so entertainingly dickish, I found myself rooting for him.

Same thing. In fact, I rooted against the Na'vi so badly that every time one of the humans got a kill, I was happy.

So, yeah, the ending angered me. Especially that line about the dying planet.

Can't wait for Avatar 2 where humans should return and curb-stomp this planet to oblivion with nuclear weapons, tanks and proper aircraft, and then mine everything the planet has to offer.

It's funny when you realize the "Humans are bastards" moral was already used in District 9, a much better movie, in my opinion.

Personally, I'm trying to think of empathizing with a villain, and the only one that comes to mind is Widdershin from Tales of the World. Yeah, he's a ripoff of Sephiroth, but he has a goal that makes him seem... Well... Not like a mentally unstable, complete bastard.

Spoiler: Spoilarz be here.

So basically, in TotW:Radiant Mythology, there are a whole bunch of different worlds, each with a giant fucking tree to provide mana--the source of all life or some crap.

Widdershin's world died for some reason that's never explained. He takes his world tree seed or something, and he pretty much says, "Fuck it, this is stupid, Imma go uber-socialist. EVERYBODY'S IMMORTAL NOW! ETERNAL PARTY FUCK YEAH!" Well, he tries to, anyway, before you come in and kick his ass. The game is a blast to play, but I really feel more like I'm playing the villain here.

Widdershin's pretty much thinking that it'd be pretty cool if nothing ever had to die, and really, that would be awesome. If you lived in a world where everybody you knew and loved was immortal, and would never die or age, wouldn't that be great?

inb4 "OMG A COMMUNIST" joke.

 

[adakias]

Mm, yeah. Death Note comes to mind. Sorry.
First: am I the only ones who think L fans are like this? I mean, the guy's kind of an extremist, and not in a good way. IMO, he's weirdly sociopathic, he's kind of a major jerk, and he's in no way heroic (he only took the case because he was bored and thought it'd be fun, really), and yet these guys love the hell out of him for all the wrong reasons. He's creepy. I always liked him for the traits listed, but only because it was an interesting deviation from the typical "hero" characters you see nowadays. I dunno. I just kind of feel that people are missing the point with him, but whatever. That's just my interpretation of the character.
Second: I always liked Light. Like, a lot. I love men with crazy notions of godhood and a false sense of entitlement to power.[footnote] In fiction only, of course. Irredeemable villainous traits are hella tight.[/footnote] I totally rooted for him, but I don't know if this is empathizing or just fangirlism. Maybe both. I dunno. 3:00 AM is not a good time to try and hash any of this out. -_-

 

[Koroviev]

Spoiler: Raskolnikov (Crime and Punishment)

I was hoping in vein that he would be let off the hook for his crimes. Siberia is too much! T__T

 

[Koroviev]

Mm, yeah. Death Note comes to mind. Sorry.
First: am I the only ones who think L fans are like this? I mean, the guy's kind of an extremist, and not in a good way. IMO, he's weirdly sociopathic, he's kind of a major jerk, and he's in no way heroic (he only took the case because he was bored and thought it'd be fun, really), and yet these guys love the hell out of him for all the wrong reasons. He's creepy. I always liked him for the traits listed, but only because it was an interesting deviation from the typical "hero" characters you see nowadays. I dunno. I just kind of feel that people are missing the point with him, but whatever. That's just my interpretation of the character.
Second: I always liked Light. Like, a lot. I love men with crazy notions of godhood and a false sense of entitlement to power. I totally rooted for him, but I don't know if this is empathizing or just fangirlism. Maybe both. I dunno. 3:00 AM is not a good time to try and hash any of this out. -_-

I feel the same way. Light >>>>> L.
(Yes, he's really that much greater than.)

 

[adakias]

Mm, yeah. Death Note comes to mind. Sorry.
First: am I the only ones who think L fans are like this? I mean, the guy's kind of an extremist, and not in a good way. IMO, he's weirdly sociopathic, he's kind of a major jerk, and he's in no way heroic (he only took the case because he was bored and thought it'd be fun, really), and yet these guys love the hell out of him for all the wrong reasons. He's creepy. I always liked him for the traits listed, but only because it was an interesting deviation from the typical "hero" characters you see nowadays. I dunno. I just kind of feel that people are missing the point with him, but whatever. That's just my interpretation of the character.
Second: I always liked Light. Like, a lot. I love men with crazy notions of godhood and a false sense of entitlement to power. I totally rooted for him, but I don't know if this is empathizing or just fangirlism. Maybe both. I dunno. 3:00 AM is not a good time to try and hash any of this out. -_-

I feel the same way. Light >>>>> L.
(Yes, he's really that much greater than.)

Oh thank god. Yes, thank you. <3
You know, I honestly think I'd like L waaay better if people would stop putting him on a pedestal. Also he tries to hard to be quirky. :\

Spoiler

I was glad when he died until the bitching from the fandom began. Jeez, ladies.

 

[Koroviev]

Mm, yeah. Death Note comes to mind. Sorry.
First: am I the only ones who think L fans are like this? I mean, the guy's kind of an extremist, and not in a good way. IMO, he's weirdly sociopathic, he's kind of a major jerk, and he's in no way heroic (he only took the case because he was bored and thought it'd be fun, really), and yet these guys love the hell out of him for all the wrong reasons. He's creepy. I always liked him for the traits listed, but only because it was an interesting deviation from the typical "hero" characters you see nowadays. I dunno. I just kind of feel that people are missing the point with him, but whatever. That's just my interpretation of the character.
Second: I always liked Light. Like, a lot. I love men with crazy notions of godhood and a false sense of entitlement to power. I totally rooted for him, but I don't know if this is empathizing or just fangirlism. Maybe both. I dunno. 3:00 AM is not a good time to try and hash any of this out. -_-

I feel the same way. Light >>>>> L.
(Yes, he's really that much greater than.)

Oh thank god. Yes, thank you. <3
You know, I honestly think I'd like L waaay better if people would stop putting him on a pedestal. Also he tries to hard to be quirky. :\

Spoiler

I was glad when he died until the bitching from the fandom began. Jeez, ladies.

Pedestal or no pedestal, what really bothers me is his supposedly superior "logic." Um, that's not called logic; it's called pulling things out of your ass. No amount of author-inserted genius accounts for how he comes to many of his conclusions, in my opinion.

 

[adakias]

Mm, yeah. Death Note comes to mind. Sorry.
First: am I the only ones who think L fans are like this? I mean, the guy's kind of an extremist, and not in a good way. IMO, he's weirdly sociopathic, he's kind of a major jerk, and he's in no way heroic (he only took the case because he was bored and thought it'd be fun, really), and yet these guys love the hell out of him for all the wrong reasons. He's creepy. I always liked him for the traits listed, but only because it was an interesting deviation from the typical "hero" characters you see nowadays. I dunno. I just kind of feel that people are missing the point with him, but whatever. That's just my interpretation of the character.
Second: I always liked Light. Like, a lot. I love men with crazy notions of godhood and a false sense of entitlement to power. I totally rooted for him, but I don't know if this is empathizing or just fangirlism. Maybe both. I dunno. 3:00 AM is not a good time to try and hash any of this out. -_-

I feel the same way. Light >>>>> L.
(Yes, he's really that much greater than.)

Oh thank god. Yes, thank you. <3
You know, I honestly think I'd like L waaay better if people would stop putting him on a pedestal. Also he tries to hard to be quirky. :\

Spoiler

I was glad when he died until the bitching from the fandom began. Jeez, ladies.

Pedestal or no pedestal, what really bothers me is his supposedly superior "logic." Um, that's not called logic; it's called pulling things out of your ass. No amount of author-inserted genius accounts for how he comes to many of his conclusions, in my opinion.

I try to ignore that so hard, simply because you have to if you want to make it through the series without quitting due to utter annoyance.
At first I tried to justify it like "well he is way older than light I think" but after a while the willing suspension of disbelief was shattered. Light's intelligence was presented in an honestly believable manner. The things he did were performed with great concerted effort, while L just sort of knew things intuitively simply for the sake of the plot. Like I said, I tried to ignore it, and I do think he'd be a bit more tolerable if we didn't have to hear about how smart and wonderful he is. He would just be that aggravating plot device for me personally. Something that's easier to ignore and brush aside. Sort of. Also, the fanart of him with all those Jesus/angel-y references is what really did me in. Just... ughfuck no.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

Andrew Ryan...poor guy just wanted to control his environment and knew that Fontaine was up to something, he just couldn't prove it. In an attempt to achieve his goals, he lost his sanity and had to sell out the ideals he held as paramount. Damn depressing stuff.

This, and....

I feel some fans of Rorshach suffer from this.

...this. Both great characters that stuck to their morals and believed they were working for the greater good, only to get themselves killed because of it.

Also, that second boss from Super Meat Boy. He just wanted to be loved!

That 'beautiful butterfly' from Alien Ressurection. Well, ok, I wanted it dead...but I felt conflicted about it.

Ok, one more:
<spoiler=Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai - Major Spoiler>Takano got my sympathy. I think she was meant to, which is why they kept setting it up that way, but my point stands that she had a lot to prove beyond just being evil for the hell of it. She was desperate, and compromised her morals to do something despicable, but to her there was no other way out.

 

[Koroviev]

I try to ignore that so hard, simply because you have to if you want to make it through the series without quitting due to utter annoyance.
At first I tried to justify it like "well he is way older than light I think" but after a while the willing suspension of disbelief was shattered. Light's intelligence was presented in an honestly believable manner. The things he did were performed with great concerted effort, while L just sort of knew things intuitively simply for the sake of the plot. Like I said, I tried to ignore it, and I do think he'd be a bit more tolerable if we didn't have to hear about how smart and wonderful he is. He would just be that aggravating plot device for me personally. Something that's easier to ignore and brush aside. Sort of. Also, the fanart of him with all those Jesus/angel-y references is what really did me in. Just... ughfuck no.

For me, the main thing is character. One really strong character can make or break an entertainment experience for me. Light made Death Note a series worth watching, in spite of annoying characters such as Misa and L.

 

[RADlTZ]

Team Rocket in the first two pokemon generations, Count Olaf in 'A Series of Unfortunate Events', Andrew Ryan in Bioshock, Dagoth Ur in Morrowind.

Jango Fett and various Sith characters in Star-Wars when some of the main Jedi characters are off in the corner having a cry.

EDIT: and Raditz in DBZ, Vegeta too when he's playing the villain.